City Diary

THE following business news is expected tomorrow:

• Traders return to their desks tomorrow after the Bank Holiday break. Providing results for them to mull over will be mining giant Antofagasta, which is scheduled to issue its half-year update. The company, which is based mainly in Chile but is listed on the London stock market, is expected to have benefited from strong copper prices, which should offset a shortfall in production. Brokers have forecast profits in the region of £560 million, up some 44 per cent from just £390m last time for the company, which is poised to take over Australia's Equatorial Mining group.

• Elsewhere, there should be interim results from distribution firm Bunzl. Acquisitions are expected to provide the key to further growth. Brokers have forecast a profit of about £98m for the first half to June compared with £87.8m last year.